By Ryan Simonson
Returning to the tourney after a roller coaster ride through the 2024 Class B state tournament which ended with a tough 4-2 loss to Lyon's Pub in the quarterfinals, the Burnsville Bobcats came into Glencoe with a gaudy 21-7 overall record, the second seed out of a tough Section 2, and with full intentions to get back to Labor Day weekend. Donning their familiar top-to-bottom powder blue uniforms with the moniker "Kitties" in red, with navy blue and white trim — a clear nod to the polyester Minnesota Twins road uniforms of the 1970s — they set their sights on the first obstacle in the path of their 2025 title pursuit, the Anoka Bucs, who entered the tournament as the third seed out of Section 3.
Anoka jumped ahead early, with fleet-footed leadoff hitter and center fielder Jorda Sivoravong slicing a leadoff single, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a fielder's choice, and then scoring on a single by Will Czech. But Burnsville didn't take long to even the score, as leadoff hitter Tim Urlaub launched the second pitch he saw out of the park. They put additional runners on the corners, but could not bring them home.
Matt Trocke launched another solo shot for the Kitties in the bottom of the second to give them a 2-1 lead, which held until the fifth, when Sivoravong again came through with a two-out, two-RBI single to put Anoka up 3-2.
The Bucs removed starting pitcher Parker Nedland in the bottom of the seventh following a leadoff walk and a double by Noah Juliar. Louis Hertling took the mound and got a strikeout before a hard-hit Nate Trocke ball was misplayed at third allowing two runs to score. Before the inning was over, another double brought home the Bobcats' fifth run, and they went to the eighth inning leading 5-3.
For the third time in the game, Sivoravong singled in the top of the eighth, and came around to score again on a Czech single. chasing starter Connor Hartley, and the Bucs took the game into the final inning trailing by just a single run. Following a one-out Austin Lang single, a Trey Sybrant double, and a strikeout, Anoka was down to its final out when, once again, Sivoravong came to the plate, slicing his fourth hit of the day into the outfield grass and tying the game. A lineout to short ended the half-inning, and Burnsville came to bat in the home half of the ninth.
A very costly error put leadoff hitter Matt Trocke aboard, and he advanced to third on a Urlaub single. Then, with two outs, a soft flare off the bat of Zach Anderson glided just over the Bucs' infield and fell into the right field grass to score Trocke and put an abrupt end the Bucs' plunderous dreams.
Burnsville will face the Macs Industrial Warriors on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 1:30 p.m. in Gaylord.
Shakopee Indians 9, Metro Knights 2
Shakopee scored in the top of the first inning when Kyle Ryan came home on a Joey Roder fielder's choice. The Knights threatened in the home half of the first, then tied the game in the bottom of the second when Ryan Jeffrey scored on a Jackson Israel single. Trail runner Caden Stern was tagged out after a brief rundown between home and third to end the inning.
Shakopee made it 4-1 with a three-run Justin Winterfeldt missile in the third, then added runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and ninth innings to put the game out of reach. A Ryan Jeffrey solo home run in the sixth accounted for the Knights' second run.
Shakopee's Kyle Ryan led all batters with three hits, and Winterfeldt drove in five runs. Vinny Schleper threw six innings, striking out six, and Griffin Larson finished the final three frames, striking out five.
Brian Knight and Colton Widen contributed two hits a piece for the Knights, who sent six different pitchers to the mound.
Shakopee will face the Champlin Park LoGators on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m. in Gaylord.
Dundas Dukes 5, Highland Park Beavers 4
Entering the fourth inning with a 1-1 tie, Dundas committed four errors, allowing three Beavers to score. With Highland Park starter Blake Stelzer seemingly cruising, the Dukes struck back in the bottom of the seventh with four runs, including a two-run homer to right field by Joey Winters, and held on for the win.
Sawyer Hoffman earned the win for Dundas, going the final three innings and striking out six. Hayden Lanoue had two hits for the Dukes, the game's only multi-hit performer.
Highland Park got hits from seven different players, with doubles by Brady Steenson and Chris Lyons. Stelzer went the distance for the Beavers, allowing only one earned run on six strikeouts.
Dundas will face the Plymouth HitDawg on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. in Gaylord.
